Photograph: Majid Saeedi/Getty ImagesDonald Trump said Iran was negotiating “seriously” with the US over its nuclear programme as the president weighs military options after deploying additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East. “I don’t know that they will, but they are talking to us, seriously talking to us,” Trump said. Trump said the US strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear programme, but the fate of 400kg of highly enriched uranium has remained a concern for western powers. Iran has always insisted that its nuclear programme is for civilian use, but it had been enriching uranium to levels close to weapons grade. “The US is planning to swallow up Iran and Iran’s courageous people will not let that happen,” Khamenei said.

Source: The Irish Times February 01, 2026 18:17 UTC